Pamela Batchelder Johnson: Ensuring that different voices are part of a Bates education

Pamela Batchelder Johnson ’91 and her husband, Rob Johnson, have given $50,000 to Bates to establish a new endowed fund in support of financial aid.

“We focused our giving on financial aid to support the college’s incredibly strong commitment to ensuring that Bates is accessible to talented students regardless of their families’ financial circumstances,” says Pam, who co-chairs the Mount David Society.

The Johnsons leveraged their gift by joining the Campaign Financial Aid Challenge, which will match, dollar for dollar, all new pledges between $50,000 and $250,000 to the college’s financial aid endowment.

“Offering generous, highly competitive financial aid — where meeting 100% of a family’s need is the standard — allows us to draw talent and diversity from across the U.S., from around the globe, and from every socioeconomic quarter,” says Leigh Weisenburger, dean of admission and financial aid at Bates. “Especially for first-generation students and students from underrepresented groups, admission to Bates means gaining access to opportunity. We are grateful to Pam and Rob. Their gift will immediately and directly touch the lives of current and future Bates students.”

Pam says their investment in financial aid supports Bates’ mission to “engage the transformative power of our differences.”

“Students need to learn from other students — from rural Maine, urban Chicago, suburban Boston, and around the world — in preparation for being citizens of the world,” she says. “My Bates experience was richer for the diversity of student voices, and I am proud to ensure that many different voices continue to be part of a Bates education.”